The Wrong Humphrey
by Queen Bee Ally
Summary: A chance encounter in a diner leads to a very unusual relationship. Serena/Rufus.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl or anything else really except perhaps the plot.

A/n: So this is probably a really weird pairing and a bit controversial but the thought was stuck in my head and I just had to do it, so enjoy.

Reincarnations

She wasn't sure how she had ended up here… no that was a lie she knew how she had arrived here, how she had ignored all the warning signs, and plunged forward drowning herself in this… which could be nothing less than a torrid affair, no matter how cliché that sounded, even to her.

--

_She had been walking aimlessly around the city, lost in her own world of self pity and delusions. She was crushed, Dan Humphrey a.k.a lonely boy as Gossip Girl so lovingly referred to him, was choosing to be lonely no longer with one Serena van der Woodsen but most likely with best friend Vanessa Abrams. Though to be fair to lonely boy he was at the moment off visiting his mother, while she was left to mope at the loss of her first real relationship._

_She didn't have to be alone, she knew if she called Nate he would immediately come to try and cheer her up, but at the moment she couldn't handle the looks he was sending her. The kind that told her he wanted more, he wanted __**her**__, and though the timing to Nate seemed perfect -- Blair was off in Europe with a new boy toy who although wasn't Chuck Bass, the affair was the direct result of Blair's disillusionment of one Chuck Bass and for once not of a Nathanial Archibald, and Dan and Serena were officially over -- though to Nate this seemed to be a sign of some sort, to Serena it was just another failure._

_Yes Serena van der Woodsen missed one Dan Humphrey but oddly enough what she found missing the most wasn't his smile or his arms encircling her, but the pride from finally being in a steady relationship, of having someone, that she could show to people, who cared about her, who was a type of trophy… one that shined exerting that fact that she had changed, that she was a better person. _

_She wasn't sure how or when but once she actually looked around and noticed her surroundings she found herself … of course in Brooklyn. She frowned but just shrugged it off, of course if she was just aimlessly walking she was bound to end up here there was no way around it. _

_She was tired and she was sick of being in the sun, so she found a nearby diner and walked into it relishing the blast of cold air that came from opening the door. She looked around preferring not to sit near anybody but in a tucked away corner but once she saw a familiar brunette in a booth by the window all the air within her was lost with one gasp._

_She remained composed as a proper socialite would and walked in his direction she would just play it cool. That last thing that ran through her head before approaching the brunette whose head was bowed as though completely engrossed in a book was, _"Wow, Dan really let his hair grow out."

"_So your back." Was all she said as she looked at the table refusing to meet his eyes as his head shot up._

"_Excuse me? I never left." Dumbfounded by the words and the voice that was obviously not Dan's Serena's eyes zoomed in on the brunette's face._

"_Mr. Humphrey?" She more exclaimed than asked._

"_Serena…?" He asked completely surprised to find her in a venue like this and in Brooklyn without his son in tow. _

"_Oh… I'm sorry I just… I though you were Dan, you two look remarkably alike from behind and well you two have the same kind of jacket." Serena composed herself and motioned to his military style jacket._

"_Actually it is Dan's he left it and I sort of like how it fits." Rufus seemed to bashfully admit to her._

"_Right…" Serena's lips twitched with a small smile at how the older man was seemingly embarrassed by his confession._

"_Well enough about my secret obsession of wearing my son's clothes," She gave a small laugh at that, " What about you?"_

"_Do I have an obsession with wearing Dan's clothes? No but thanks for asking." She teased and enjoyed how a small amount of blush graced his features._

"_No… I meant… why are you here?" He gave him a pointed look. "Not that you're not allowed obviously but your not the type to be in Brooklyn for no apparent reason, not that you have to explain yourself to me… or anyone." Rufus quickly said all of this confused to as why this seventeen year old girl was making him blubber like a senile old fool. Was it perhaps that she was the reincarnation of Lily… his Lily the one who he had once found behind a Nine Inch Nails bus with heels in one hand and ruffled hair but a smile that lit up his world, not the Lily that existed today the one of society who had married for the fourth time trying to maintain the appearance of the perfect socialite, full of charity events and diamonds worth more than a year's total of all his expenses. _

_The girl standing before him was his Lily but she was also something… more. She had seemingly been able to do what her mother hadn't managed, juggle a life in the Upper East Side and a life in Brooklyn without losing her place in either… that was until his son had ended it all._

"_Well though your right about the whole 'not having to explain to anybody' thing, I was just walking around and got tired of being in the sun with this weather." He looked astounded at her. "What?" She hoped there wasn't something on her face or hair._

"_You walked all the way from the Palace to Brooklyn?" Once he said it out loud she realized how tired she actually was._

"_Oh… I guess I did."_

"_Would you like to sit with me?" He motioned to the seat in front of him worried about the girls feet who were strapped in some ridiculously high expensive looking shoe, or so he reasoned with himself._

"_Um… are you sure I wouldn't be intruding you looked busy." She motioned to a book on the table by his drink._

"_Oh no, just some light reading." _

"_Well if you insist." She said with a laugh as she dramatically sat on the other side of the booth. He couldn't help but laugh with her. "Do you mind?" She asked motioning to the book._

"_Oh of course not." He gladly handed her the book._

"_The Petting Zoo__? Hmm I'm no academic but I'm pretty sure this isn't light reading."_

"_Well it was left out on the coffee table, I decided to try and see what all the commotion was about because Dan…" He trailed off as he noticed how her eyes seem to darken when he mentioned his son's name realizing it was probably hard for her to hear about him._

"_So any good?" Serena finally broke the awkward silence that had overtaken them._

"_It's… ok not really my thing though." She nodded wishing they could move away from this awful topic._

"_You must be hungry, how about I order you a burger they make some of the best here… or would you prefer a salad?" Her eyes had lit up at the mention of food._

"_Oh God no, a burger and some fries please?" She requested with shining eyes. After motioning a waitress to come over and ordering to burgers and fries and something besides coffee to drink he returned his attention to her._

"_So how has your summer been?" He slightly regretted his question hoping no unwanted memories would overtake her now that she was smiling again. _

"_Well nothing much," he let out an air of relief when she began to speak and her eyes were still shining. "Just enjoying the city being empty for once." He internally laughed at that, the city was never empty but he supposed during the summer most of the upper class were off enjoying exotic cities leaving a girl like Serena to believe it was empty._

"_I suppose so." He said with a smile as the waitress brought over their soda drinks._

"_What about you… Mr. Humphrey." He winced at that it made him feel…__**old**__._

"_Please call me Rufus, Mr. Humphrey…"_

"_Was your dad?" She asked with a giggle._

"_Well there's that and well am I really that old?" He couldn't help but ask, at which she laughed at._

"_Of course not, well I mean putting aside the two children, which since they aren't even within a hundred miles don't really count as being yours for now," She said with a smile. "you… Rufus are just a guitar playing, gallery owning refined man."_

"_Thank you for noticing." He mock bowed… well as much as he could while sitting in a booth._

"_No but seriously, Rufus anyone who calls you old simply must be blind." He reddened at her comment but smiled when he noticed she wasn't teasing._

"_But as I was saying… or asking what about you, what have you been doing… Rufus?" It was slightly odd to say his name, to have it dance on her tongue but she liked it, it was a change from Nate and Dan it had more… substance to it._

"_Working at the gallery I actually just took the afternoon off it was a slow day and well I just got tired of being there all alone."_

"_Well why don't you hire someone."_

"_There's no real reason too, I'm handling everything perfectly it just gets lonely being there especially on the slow days, I usually have to take a book or I close up too early."_

"_Hence __The Petting Zoo__?" She asked as the waitress brought two plates laden with food. _

"_Right, but as you can see even this could not save me from boredom." He chuckled as he saw her dig into the food enjoying the greasy meal with a smile. He liked to see this, to see this girl who was expected to eat only salads or nothing at all just to maintain her figure, stuff her face in such a graceful fashion, the contradictions amused him._

"_Well you know… I know I'm just a teenager and I would probably bore you with questions or fashion but I could come and hang out with you in the gallery I could fill you in on how to attract all those flamboyant UES socialites who actually stayed in the city and it would look good on my resume Blair is always going on all about how I need to do more volunteering to fill up my college application. I'm pretty sure 'design consultant' would look good." She had been concentrating on her plate the entire time hoping not see the look of ridicule in his eyes for even mentioning this. "What do you think?" She coyly looked up at him._

_Rufus wasn't sure what to think, no that was a lie, he knew what his answer was going to be he was just flabbergasted at how this young amazing girl had enthralled him all within the span of one meal. And here she was offering to spend even more time with him, willingly._

"_Of course that would be wonderful." He finally answered making her smile with excitement._

"_Great, now we both won't be so lonely." Serena exclaimed as she placed her hand over his with a smile. He smiled back not even thinking how much Serena's smile resembled Lily's._

_After that they finished eating never once faltering on conversation but always steering away from topics such as Dan and Lily. After they had finished they realized exactly how late it was, they had spent the afternoon talking._

"_Well I'll see you tomorrow." Serena said as she opened a taxi's door._

"_Yeah, you can come as early as eight if you like, or whenever it's not like you have a schedule to stick to…" She smiled as she noticed he was going to start rambling again._

"_I'll be there at eight, you have a lot to teach me Rufus I'm no art expert." With that said she climbed into the cab and left him to stare after her._

"_Yes I do, Serena van der Woodsen." He said in a daze as he began to walk home, berating himself for letting a seventeen year old girl affect him in such a way._

_Meanwhile Serena was contemplating just exactly __**what was she doing? **__But with a shake of head she reasoned with herself that she couldn't be faulted if she wanted the companionship of someone who was feeling the same things as her right now, after all they had both just lost people they had both cared deeply about. Or that's what she told herself as she headed back to the Palace._

_--_

That had been their first meeting, it had been in the middle of the summer and it had started a avalanche of feelings though neither of them quite knew that at the time.

A/N: So be honest hate it, love it? Want to flame go right ahead. For all of those from my other stories don't worry those will be updated soon.Working Girl


	2. Working Girl

Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl or anything else really except perhaps the plot. Also don't own The Police nor the song mentioned or anything else really.L

A/n: So I want to give special thanks to my first reviewer srnvndrwdsn, thank you, you quelled my fears of having absolutely no one reviewing or just hating it just for the odd pairing, I send you all my love. I would also thank my one other reviewer 'the person who didn't sign in….' who ever you are thanks for reading and reviewing. With that said on to the second chapter of this randomness I made a story out of.

Working Girl

He supposed they brought this on themselves, what did they expect for the outcome to be really? It was just natural that when two people with broken hearts found comfort within each other different feelings will soon follow.

--

"_So wait you like The Police?" Rufus asked her flabbergasted as he was hanging a portrait on the wall and she was busy taking pictures of an art piece that was to be in an auction the next week. Serena had learned some things to do such as take inventory, how to properly clean each painting and such things but for the most part she was there to make Rufus' day better._

_The first day had been the most awkward, it had started off well Serena arriving with coffee for the two of them and Rufus having had brought bagels. But once they were done eating they were confused at how they were supposed to continue. Serena always one to hate silence broke it by telling some silly joke about how many cabs existed and who had thought of that ugly yellow paint. With one smile that they shared everything flowed like it had the day before with minimal awkwardness._

"_Now hold on, I did not say I liked The Police I said that I loved their song, Don't Stand So Close To me, there is a difference so do not put words in my mouth Rufus." She corrected him as she slowly moved the art piece ninety degrees to get a better angle. "Actually that song led to my short lived obsession with __Lolita__ by Vladimir Nabokov, of course then I realized they pronounced his name wrong in the song and felt like an idiot because I had gone around like the queen of all __Lolita__ no one ever taking pity on me and correcting me." He chuckled at that._

"_So wait what version did you like?" _

"_Duh, the original I don't know exactly what they were thinking with the whole '86 version but I couldn't even make it through the whole song. Oh God please don't tell me you like the '86 version or I will seriously think something is wrong with you."_

"_No you're right the original was better something about them trying to be too… serious in the newer version killed it for me." She giggled and walked back to the small reception area desk done with taking her photos. Rufus enjoyed having her around, she made everything so much better and the few weeks she had been here had made her a part of his life, they spent most of their days together for the most part enjoying take out in the gallery and going to the diner for dinner and then per usual Serena would grab a cab back to the Palace once it began to get dark. Today was a Friday and like most Friday's Rufus was a little put out at how this would be the last time he saw her for a couple of days, but he never liked to dwell on why exactly that was._

"_Hey so what do you think… Chinese?" She asked sitting on the desk flipping through one of their many take out menus. "Because I have a craving for some egg flower soup, what about you?" He couldn't help but noticed how those long legs of hers seemed to never end, he wondered if she had ever caught him staring before, but if she had she apparently didn't mind for she continued to wear those impossibly short sun dresses._

"_That sounds good make sure to get some general chicken. I'm going to go check the new arrivals in the back order whatever else you want." And with that he left her to decide their lunch. When he came back out she was still sitting on the desk finishing ordering for them on her phone._

"_Rufus, I was thinking do you like Batman?" She asked coyly playing with her cell phone in her hands._

"_In general… sure the cape crusader is alright in my book." He laughed as she rolled her eyes._

"_No silly, I meant like the movies do you like watching Batman?"_

"_Sure." He stated confused as to why they were talking about this._

"_Well see I was wondering Blair and I have this silly tradition to watch all the movies before a remake or sequel comes out, so that we can be thoroughly prepared for the new movies… and well Blair isn't here and you are like my BFF and I just wondered…"_

"_Yes…" He prompted smiling at how coy she could be._

"_Well how about tomorrow that is if you don't have anything planned, we could watch all the Batman movies, it could be so much fun, I'll bring the movies and popcorn all you would supply was the T.V. and loft… so what do you think?" His heart warmed at the thought of having this woman… __**when did he start considering her a woman?**__ he wondered and then realized it was around the same time he started staring at those long legs._

"_That's sounds like fun, except you know I don't want Blair Waldorf coming after me thinking I've replaced her." He sighed melodramatically, Serena just laughed and smacked him on the shoulder._

"_Oh don't worry she'll come after me most likely believing I've replaced her." And that was all that needed to be said before the food arrived._

_The next day as promised Serena arrived at Rufus' loft mid afternoon laden with all the Batman movies even the cartoon ones and a box full of microwave popcorn packages._

"_Now see this is the kind of sight I would like greeting me every time I open my door." He teased as he took the movies from her before they tipped over._

"_What a beautiful gorgeous woman?" Serena asked fluttering her eyelashes._

"_No. Someone carrying multiple amounts of popcorn." _

"_Oh nice… real nice Rufus."_

"_I try." He gave her one of his rare smirks._

"_What is this?" Serena asked confused as entered the living room where the coffee table was stocked with candy ranging from M&M'S to Goobers to Sour Patch Kids._

"_Well if you were bringing the film and popcorn I could at least offer the candy confections."_

"_Smart man." She said as she walked toward the T.V placing the first movie and then going to the microwave to pop the first popcorn, all the while talking animatedly and to Rufus she just seemed to fit in his loft without any weirdness involved._

"_So I talked to Blair…"_

"_Really?" From what Rufus could tell from the many tales Serena told him Blair was her best friend and the only one she confided her friendship with Rufus not that they had anything to hide… but still._

"_Yep, she was sad that she couldn't be here but she was happy I wasn't moping…"_

"_Or with Nate." He added for her._

"_Well I guess… not that she really cares now not with everything with Chuck but I do suppose she feels some relief not that I would do anything with him again." _

"_Yet he follows you like a lovesick puppy." He added and she threw a kernel from the freshly made bag._

"_Like you would know… when have you ever met Nate?"_

"_Never… but still the boy calls you every hour just to talk or to make plans."_

"_Yes well we are still friends which comes with certain hanging out obligations." Obligations that admittedly he did not want her to fulfill._

"_Oh, oh movie time!" She said excitedly as the main menu came up on the screen and she bounced with the bowl of popcorn onto the couch. "Gets the lights please Rufus." She flippantly added, before he could take one step towards the couch. With a roll of his eyes he did as he was told. They each sat on a side of the couch not sure exactly were the boundary lines were drawn at. _

"_Why so statuesque?" Serena broke the silence as always, halfway through the movie._

"_Huh?" He decided to play dumb._

"_Oh gawd Rufus we're together for the most part of our days, and we have been closer than this, it's ok to relax… so just relax!" She exclaimed as she scooted closer to him and pinched his arm playfully._

"_Hey!" He exclaimed rubbing his arm carefully in mock pain._

"_Oh your such a baby." She slapped his 'wound' and then he let loose and began tickling her. After a while of Serena's laughter filling his loft Rufus noticed exactly in what position they had gotten themselves into. Rufus was on top of Serena on the couch. After a moment of his dark eyes meeting her sparkling ones he seemed to remember who she was and began to get off of her._

"_No." The word slipped from her tongue as she felt his weight being lifted off of her. He looked at her bewildered before she pulled his face closer and kissed him. _

_He was lost in euphoria, her lips smooth, sensual covering his, this was heaven, her kiss could not be compared to any other. Yet it was hell as well once his conscience slammed into him, making him remember things he rather not… __**she's seventeen, Dan loved her, she's Lily's daughter.**__ With the last thought still resounding in his mind he pulled away, unwillingly._

"_Did I do something wrong?" Was her response to his rejection. She sounded small and sad a far cry from the bubbling ball of energy he had come to__**like**__._

"_No." One look into those baby blues rimmed with un spilled tears cracked his wall of resolute. "I… we shouldn't do this." He whispered the words as though trying to comprehend exactly why they existed in the first place._

"_But I want to… and so do you." They were still in the intimate position to which she used at her full advantage, by running her hands through his hair._

"_It's not right…" He wanted to… he so desperately needed to, needed to feel something for someone for once who wasn't Lily who wasn't trying to replace Lily and oddly enough the person who could do that was very well a reincarnation of his first love. Yet he knew it was wrong, to take this girl, to maker her his… no matter how much she would plea no matter how much she would argue… he would still know it was wrong. But that wouldn't stop them._

"_Are you sure?" That was the chance he had given her… a one time deal, she could back out now they could return to their easy going friendship and this would all be put away in a box full of What Ifs? She was given this offer but she refused it and instead kissed him again. _

_**Dan **__the name echoed within her mind, as a plea to stop? As a reason to continue? She wasn't quite sure, so she did what she wanted, instead what was right. She stopped being Dan's golden girl, with one kiss. She was tired of having to try so hard to be good, it didn't have to be hard, it __**shouldn't**__ have to be so hard. And she found that with her friendship with Rufus she didn't try so hard, because at least he didn't judge her past, neither of them were hardly in the position to do so. What with his one night stand with her mother the night before her wedding and her encounter with Nate--the one that would haunt her friendship with Blair forever--they could only confess their sins to each other and live with it and accept it as a part of the past. And so the echoes within her mind became whispers with Rufus' lip devouring hers and after a while they were muted._

_It was a while later sometime when the movie had ended and the screen was black when Rufus pulled away. After a questioning look from Serena he explained._

"_We should probably start to actually watch the movies. Don't you think?" He said as he got up and placed the next one in DVD player, before sitting down next to her._

"_I…" Serena began before Rufus wrapped his arm around her shoulders and scooted her closer to him. "That sounds like a good idea." She sighed leaning into his chest, reassured she wasn't being pushed away._

_--_

That had begun everything, though the meeting at the diner had started the friendship, the moment during their first of many movie nights was where everything became much more complicated… yet beautiful at the same time. But who could blame them, they were two broken hearts who had found companionship and understanding within another broken soul. Add to it the feeling of magic that came with summer and the fact there had been no obstacles, yet, could you really expect anything less to blossom from the time they spent together?


	3. Reality

Disclaimer: I do not own Gossip Girl or anything else really except perhaps the plot.

A/N: I should be bludgeoned for the long wait hope you guys can forgive me.

Reality

She had begun to enjoy Brooklyn again, old memories that had included Dan had been replaced with new ones that included the older Humphrey. Though she had enjoyed spending time with Rufus at his loft, at times it had been weird, it was those times when reality seemed to hit her and she would notice Dan's door. There was a small urge to open it, to assure herself he wasn't behind it aware of what he would presume his father's and ex-girlfriends betrayal.

--

"_Oh come on Rufus just tell me." Serena practically begged as she helped him take inventory in the backroom on some new pieces that had arrived the day before._

"_No." He wouldn't budge on subject no matter what she did._

"_Please… come on not like it matters." Serena begged, she had been doing so all morning and now that it was early afternoon she was tired of it._

"_If it doesn't matter why do you want to know?" He asked frustrated as he tried to concentrate on filling out one of the many forms._

"_What can I say… I'm just curious." She whispered sensually as she sidled up next to him to wrap her arms around him, they had been in this…__**relationship? **__for a couple of weeks now and though they had not gone all the way yet, Serena was sure that any day soon their moment would come. Meanwhile she enjoyed making Rufus squirm by stealing kisses every now and then during the day or if she had the chance to pull him into the backroom for a nice make out session._

"_Curiosity killed the cat." Was all he said as he tapped her nose with his index finger. Serena scrunched up her nose in distaste._

"_Oh come on… it's not like I can't guess I mean if you were with my mom." He winced at this. "Quite being a baby, you were with my mom I was with your son." Ever the matter of fact one in the relationship, Serena had stopped shying away from this topic having realize from her last relationship what keeping things to yourself led to. "So let me guess late thirties?" When Rufus winced again she quickly rescued his ego. "Not that you look it. I mean if I were just another girl out there who had no clue you had kids or who was your ex I would say late twenties early thirties." She nuzzled his neck before he pulled away only to kiss her properly on her lips. Suddenly she found his hands on her hips and papers on the floor, she let out a squeal of excitement. She loved it when Rufus took the lead which was more often then naught in private but in public he shied away from any PDA. Especially after she accidentally mentioned that Gossip Girl didn't exactly take a break not that she would really be spotted in Brooklyn after all Brooklyn's tipster--Jenny-- was far away from here. _

"_I'm not going to let this go." She whispered huskily in his ear as her legs immediately wrapped themselves around him._

"_I know… but I find this a better way to spend time." He said as one of his hands buried itself in her hair and the other wrapped around her left thigh. "I feel like a teenager." He chuckled in her neck._

"_Mmm… really because just so you know no teenager kisses like you." Serena admitted no ones kisses could compare to Rufus', he wasn't sloppy as though he thought salvia was all it was about, and he didn't ram his tongue into her like a frog. He kissed like it was a journey the were on and it didn't matter the destination just that they were on it together. She enjoyed running her hands over his chest feeling the contours of his abs over his shirt. They both groaned as they heard the ringing of the assistance bell._

"_Stay here." He ordered as he fixed his a skewed shirt and ran a hand over his face. After she wiped the lip gloss off of him he hurried out to the front. Meanwhile she fixed her Waldorf original feeling slightly guilty as she remembered that she had yet to bring Blair up to speed on the growing relationship between her and Rufus._

_Her phone interrupted her thoughts with it's ringing alerting her she had a new text._

_Nate: Where u been? Miss u. We should go watch a movie tonight._

_Serena really would have preferred to go back to Rufus' loft and continue their amorous moment… yet she knew she had been ignoring Nate for the past weeks and if she wanted to have an actual friendship with him, one that didn't include sex, alcohol or any sort of puffy yellow dress, she would have to go and try and mend their lost friendship. The one that existed before the elicit wedding, the one that where Nate was her best friend--next to Blair--the one where they could watch old movies and have tickle fights and though an odd joint would mix in, she still missed those days. _

_Serena: Miss u 2. Meet you at your place?_

_Nate: at 5, see u. _

_Serena: see u. _

_She sent that last message with a small smile on her face, she really did miss him and it would good to spend some time in the Upper East Side._

"_Just another pretentious West Sider who wanted to know if I had any fake Picasso's." Rufus replied tiredly, as he reached her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "What do you say we close up early and go get an early dinner." He mumbled into her neck, and Serena couldn't help but smile yet it faltered once she realized what time it was._

"_I would, you know how much I would love to…"_

"_But…"_

"_Well see I sort of promised Nate I'd go to the movies with him tonight and I have been ignoring him in favor of company of a certain Humphrey." Rufus couldn't help but grin at that. "So I'm off to save my friendship with an Archibald." With one last kiss on his cheek, she was off to the Upper East Side and if truth be told he was left to mope in Brooklyn. _

_It's not that he was jealous… of course he wasn't, or so he told himself when he got home after cleaning and re-cleaning the gallery, so much so that by the time he left it was probably as sterile as any O.R. He refused to believe he was jealous of a mere… __**boy**__. This thought was soon followed by the fact that, that boy was the same age as her which didn't lighten his spirits one bit. So he tried to keep busy, wondering what was it he did before Serena had invaded his life._

_While one Rufus Humphrey was in the midst of a pity party Serena was having a great time with Nathaniel Archibald. They had opted to see the new Batman movie __The Dark Night__ and though she felt a pang of guilt that she really should be watching this with Rufus, that was soon pushed away once Nate began talking to her and tickling her just like old times. They had chosen to share a large popcorn and a soda for the fact that Serena would hardly drink any soda and that she loved to pig out on popcorn._

_And just like old times they loved to throw popcorn at any couples who were becoming heavy with their PDA. She really wished she would have spent more time with Nate in the beginning of the summer, she missed having one of her own to talk to, one of the non-judging breakfast club member to just be Serena with._

"_So any news on the Captain?" Serena asked once he was walking her back to the Palace. She knew he was going through a hard time what with his mother off in the Hamptons for the summer and his father off in some distant continent, he truly was all alone, and had she not found Rufus so would she have been… Eric had opted to join Chuck in the Hamptons and Bart and her mother were still off on their honeymoon. Once she remembered that she vowed to be a better friend and to be around more often. _

"_No… well unless my mom is keeping something from me which is quite possible." She nodded in acquiesce. _

"_You know you're not alone." She whispered, and though he said nothing she knew he had heard her._

"_Thanks Serena, and I know." He said after a few minutes of silence. With one kiss on the cheek he had left her by the entrance of the Palace. She stared longingly at the boy who was walking away from her, she wished everything could go back to how it had been, before she had felt anything besides brotherly love for Nate, when he was Nate the one boy who could exist in Blair and Serena's club, the one who fit in between who made their group whole. But with one last sigh she rushed up to change into something more… glamorous before catching a cab to Brooklyn._

Perhaps she should have tried and stayed in the Upper East Side, to be content with Nate and try to work things out with him thoroughly. That was what her mind told her when she thought back to those summer days, but Serena was never one to listen to her head instead of her heart if the Shepperd's wedding was any sort of indication. She listened to what her heart or body needed, what her soul wanted.


	4. Fairy Tales

A/N: I actually wrote a chapter for this fic yay! In reality I was trying to write a chapter for on of my other ongoing fics but I found writing this one a lot easier hope you guys enjoy.

**Fairy Tales **

When Serena was younger she (as all girls her age do) dreamt of having a prince charming. Unlike Blair's her prince wasn't just a combination of all the characteristics of the Disney princes. No hers was a combination of the very few good men she had seen when she was young. As she grew up and realized just exactly what the men in the UES were up to, her prince shattered.

_"Serena?" A bleary eyed Rufus opened the door. Serena had hightailed it back to Brooklyn after her outing with Nate, in order to surprise Rufus with a night… of fun._

_"Hi, Rufus. Did I wake you up?" She asked sheepishly taking in his appearance, of a T-shirt and loose sleeping pants._

_"Yeah, not really…. Wasn't sleeping all that well." He admitted finally looking at her and seeing her short dress that clung to all her curves perfectly. A strange thought of Nate running his hands over the silk ran through his mind, before he focused on her face again._

_"I was thinking we could…. Oh … I don't know, resume what we had started earlier." She had walked inside closing the door behind her and began to pull on his arm to lead him to the couch._

_"Oh really?" He asked surprised at his luck, but not wanting to ruin a thing._

_"Yes." She had successfully pulled him over to the couch and wrapped her arms around his neck. _

_"Well your wish is my command." He said before attacking her mouth. She moaned in delight and wrapped one leg around his hip._

_"Room." She gasped as his hand was traveling her hip._

_"What?" He asked backtracking his movements. Sure they did a lot of groping and a lot of other things he really shouldn't do with a seventeen year old, yet they had never gone that far and he wasn't sure if they should._

_"Room. Rufus your room, take me there now." There was no pleading no begging just a simple command and he couldn't help but do as he was told._

_"Are you sure?" He asked her once they had landed on his bed._

_"Yes." She breathed into his ear before kissing him lightly. That was all the reassurance he needed. _

_He didn't snore. That was one of the thoughts that hazily ran through her mind in the morning as she was wrapped in his sheets while he still slept. She knew that it was wrong to compare Dan and Rufus, but this one little thought couldn't help but enter her mind. Dan snored, Rufus did not. _

_"Are you a covert stalker?" Rufus teased with one eye opened. Serena lightly blushed having been caught staring._

_"Only when it comes to you." She smirked and began to kiss his neck and jaw before reaching his mouth._

_"You don't regret it… do you?" He asked hesitantly as she pulled away. Seeing the insecurity in his eyes she just giggled and straddled him._

_"Not one bit." She replied before attacking his mouth._

_

* * *

_

_"So what do you think?" Rufus asked her as she sat reading a magazine on top of the desk at the gallery._

_"Think about…" She prompted as she pulled her eyes away from the miniskirt that would look much better on her than on the model of the magazine._

_"Going away for the weekend?" Rufus asked as he walked up towards the desk and placed both arms on the desk with Serena in between, succeeding in trapping her. Serena giggled and wrapped her arms and legs around him._

_"Oh, oh where." She asked excited, "remember Hamptons are out."_

_"I know… there's this small bead and breakfast that close but not quite within the Hamptons far away enough for privacy but close to the beach. "_

_"Well how can a girl refuse that offer." Which is how they ended in a bed and breakfast by the beach, the one where they were mistaken for newlyweds during check in, they didn't bother correcting the girl. _

_"At least they didn't think you were my father." She said as they lay nude in bed; sheets pushed off to the side preferring to go without with the sweltering heat that permeated their room. Her laughed chimed throughout the room as he became disgruntled with her comment. "Oh come on Rufus it was a joke." She began to trail hot open mouth kisses down his chest. "Lighten up." She loved to be blasé about the issues that made up their relationship._

_"I guess you're right." He hated how much power she had over him, but once her lips attached to his it didn't seem to bad._

* * *

_"Dan and Jenny come home next week." She was-as always- sitting on the receptionist desk instead of on the chair going through a catalogue of art coming up in an auction._

_"Yeah weird Blair is coming back then too." Despite the fact that she had heard rumors of Blair being back weeks ago her best friend denied it whole heartedly saying she was skipping the end of summer week at Hamptons that was their ritual and staying to shop some more in France. _

_"Anything good?" He asked looking over her shoulder at the catalogue. Her blonde hair tickled his cheek, so he pulled away knowing he had to stay focused. He needed answers, he needed to know what was going to happen after the summer was over, what exactly they were, was he just a fling? He hated sounding like a girl but the uncertainty was driving him insane._

_"Not really I'm not sure anything really suites the gallery." She flipped the catalogue close in frustration. "I swear buying the art is worse then trying to sell it." He smiled at her, she had become so good with this business a natural really._

_"Don't worry having a spot empty on the wall for a couple of days won't hurt us." __**Us **__the word he had been using constantly, it just felt right with them._

_"You're right." She got off the desk and began to rifle through the mail that had arrived earlier. "So I was thinking since school is starting up I can't be here all day but I could still come by after school. That would still be ok right." Even though she used a noncommittal tone, he couldn't help but grin. She was worried about their future too._

_"That would be great." He wrapped an arm around her waist and buried his head in the crook of her neck. He felt her relax and lean into him._

_"Good."_

* * *

_"Chili?" She asked holding up a meat packet, she was wearing only his shirt and was scavenging through his fridge._

_"You know me, it's for…" He was hesitant it was their last day together did he want to ruin it by bringing up what was to come?_

_"Tomorrow welcome home dinner for Jenny and Dan." She was so nonchalant as if it didn't matter as if she was happy for him._

_"Yep." He was wary, was she sullen and trying to hide it?_

_"That's great I know how much you miss them." She put the meat packet back and found the fresh strawberries she had stored there._

_"I do." It was true he loved being a father and even though he was happy with Serena he still missed his children._

_"So waffle time?" She was radiant and then he knew she really was happy for him. He walked up to her and wrapped her up in his arms._

_"I love you." They had never said it, but it just felt so right he had to say it. He worries as Serena bites her lip, wondering if maybe he just made a dumb ass of himself and has ruined everything. But then she's smiling and everything makes sense again._

_"I love you too." Then she's kissing him and he knows even if New York shuns him for his feelings as long as he has Serena everything will be fine._

Serena will be the first to admit Rufus is not perfect, sure he doesn't snore but there are other things that annoy her. He isn't a civilized person until at least one cup of coffee in the morning, has way too many eighties clothes in his closet, and sometimes views the world in white and black; but the imperfections just make her love him more. He's not Prince Charming, he doesn't embody a little girls fantasy but he is Serena's happily ever after of that she's sure.

A/N: So if anyone is actually reading this I would love some feed back so review please!


	5. Family

A/N: I wasn't sure of posting this chapter but I did get one review so Tankygirl this chapter is for you, hope you enjoy it, and thank you for the review.

Family

Serena and Blair have been best friends since they were born, no ands ifs or buts about it. Sure they have their moments of competition, of hatred, but those are always short stints of insanity. Boys may come and go, but Blair and Serena will always have each other.

_Blair and Serena have prided themselves in never right out lying to each other which might have motivated Serena's stint in boarding school. Lying by omission isn't really lying, not for them. So naturally once school starts and they face each other she spills about her romance. Sort of. _

_"So then your over Humphrey, for good?" They're eating fruit, because yogurt has become a sin on the met steps. _

_"I'm completely over Dan." Serena assures her careful to be honest without spilling the truth._

_"Good." _

_"I know you always hated him…"_

_"I didn't hate him." Serena gives her a look and Blair concedes. "Misguided anger, but really lonely boy and I are on better terms now."_

_"Well that's good."_

_"So when ever will I meet this new boy toy of yours?" Serena wants to laugh at the thought of Rufus knowing Blair just called him a boy toy._

_"When I get the chance to meet yours." Blair scratches her neck subtly, a nervous habit she's never been able to outgrow._

_"Touché." Serena sees B stab a raspberry rather forcefully staining the fork in red juice._

_"Are you happy with him B?" That's all she cares about, even if she never meets him as long as Blair is happy Serena will be content._

_"Very." With Nate it had been gushing, with Chuck exaggeration, this time Blair states her feelings clearly without needing to endow it with anything. This shows Serena that Blair might have just found her prince charming after all. "You're happy too S, right?"_

_"Never been happier." Then and there the two girls realize that maybe they don't just have each other anymore, but it doesn't mean that they need each other any less._

* * *

_"What's this?" Serena asked as she saw the package sitting on the receptionist desk._

_"Open it up and see." Rufus helped her out of her coat before giving her a quick peck. Before Serena hurriedly opens the package._

_"Oh My Gosh!" Serena jumped up and down as she saw the silver chain and pendant attached._

_"Do you like it?" He grinned at her reaction, it wasn't Tiffany's but he felt it suited her._

_"I love it." She stated as she took it out to examine the key pendant with the ruby in the middle._

_"Think of it as the key to my heart." He whispered in her ear as he helped put it on._

_"Rufus, I love you." She turned around and kissed him. She hated school, hated how much time she couldn't spend with him anymore, but she knew it would be ok, they still had the gallery, they still had each other. _

* * *

_It was plastered all over gossip girl, a controversial couple canoodling in Brooklyn. Serena gasped at the picture before the wind was knocked out of her by Blair._

_"Tell me you haven't seen it yet." She had managed to get Serena's phone but frowned once she saw the picture._

_"B… I. I don't know what to say." _

_"Don't say anything let me explain." Carefully Blair helped Serena to sit on the met steps, as if she were a porcelain doll._

_"Brooklyn?" Is all she can utter._

_"I know I should have told you. He urged me to tell you, but you were so happy, and we were in such a good place not competing and I didn't want you to take this as a stab in the back." Serena takes her phone back and sees the picture once more, no it wasn't a mirage. Blair and Dan aren't kissing but his arm is wrapped around her and Blair is smiling. "Don't hate me S, please don't hate me. I was going to tell you just as soon as I figured out…" Serena cut off her rant._

_"Blair calm down. I don't hate you." It was the truth she didn't. _

_"Really?" The cautiousness in her voice doesn't Surprise Serena, how many times haven't they pretended to be fine only to stab the other one later, with a gossip girl blast?_

_"Really B, I'm happy for you and Dan. If you care about him then be with him. What I had with him is in the past, it's moot." _

_"Thank God, because S, I love him I do , and I don't know what would have happened if you would have hated me for it."_

_"You love him?" She knew there was more to Blair than just a socialite wife in training, but still, the thought of her and Dan together still seemed odd._

_"Yeah." She says it as though just realizing it herself._

_"Oh B, I'm so happy for you." Serena can't help but wrap her arms around her, happy the Dan could be the right Humphrey for someone and that Blair could have everything she never knew she wanted._

* * *

_"So your best friend, is dating my son?" Rufus tried to understand as he poured popcorn into a bowl._

_"Exactly." Serena was on his couch, enjoying the fact that Jenny and Dan had gone out and wouldn't be back for a couple of hours. Enough time to at least have a quick movie date._

_"I feel like we should be on Springer." _

_"Ugh never Rufus, Blair would make us be on Oprah." She told him matter of factly as he sat next to her and handed her the bowl._

_"Next thing you know Jenny and Erik will be together."_

_"That's doubtful, since you know Jenny isn't a boy." She cuddled closer to him, while he wrapped an arm around her._

_"Well if Dan and Blair got together I think a pig flying wouldn't surprise me." Serena couldn't help but shrug her shoulders at that._

_"True." He fumbled with the remote for a bit before pressing play._

* * *

_"Serena!" Serena huffs once before turning around and away from the elevator._

_"Yes mom?" She turns to see Lily sitting prim and proper on the chaise._

_"Can you come here for a second?"_

_"Of course." Serena sits as close to her mother as she dares. Since Lily has been back everything has been strained to say the least. Serena keeps her distance afraid somehow Lily has Rufus radar and can tell that he's been all over her, and Lily has become who Bart Bass thought he was marrying._

_"I've heard about you and Rufus." Lily is miffed but not crazed which confuses Serena._

_"Rufus and I?" She questions buying time, this wasn't how this was going to go, Serena was going to sit her mother down and explain everything not have her mother demand answers from her._

_"Yes your internship with him, I suppose you would call it."_

_"Oh that." She's relived._

_"Well what else would I be talking about?" She hates that she's lost her cool in front of her mother._

_"I just I don't know… what about my internship?"_

_"I just wanted to say that though I'm happy that you have taken the initiative and actually done something useful with your summer instead of wasting it, but I don't approve of it." As usual Serena can't help but feel the condescension drip from every syllable her mother utters._

_"But Mom I'm learning so much, and I like it."_

_"Even so, that gallery won't look as nice on your resume. My friend Rennee has one open that has more appeal and I'm sure Brown will approve of it." Serena rolls her eyes. She's not sure of wanting to go to Brown, she's not even sure of wanting to go to college._

_"No, Mom you can't just come back after months and tell me that what I'm doing isn't good enough."_

_"Serena you will do as I say…"_

_"No I won't I'm so sick of you not being proud of anything I do, of everything being wrong. I'm not just Serena dumb blond I can actually get by without your help." She hates that just being near her mother can bring her to the brink of insanity. _

_"I'm not saying your dumb dear, I just know that this other gallery is a better choice." _

_"It's not about the gallery it's about me being able to do what I think is right versus what you assume is the best thing for me. It's not fair that after so many absent years where you were off jumping marriage to marriage that the moment you see me you feel the need to critize and 'fix me'." _

_"Serena you know that's not true!" But Serena doesn't care anymore, Lily was never the mom she needed so she refuses to be the daughter Lily wants. So she runsaway. _

* * *

_"Serena?" The door opens and she runs into comforting arms. "What's wrong?"_

_"My mom." With two words Blair knows exactly what happened._

_"It's ok, come on I think it's time for some ice cream and Audrey. Dorota! We need ice cream!" And just like that she knows everything is going to be ok, Serena never had Lily and Blair never had Eleanor but they did have each other, ice cream, Audrey Hepburn and Dorota._

Sometimes they took each other for granted it was pointless to deny it. But it was also pointless to deny that they loved each other, that they were stuck with each other, for better or worse. They grew up together having opposite personalities but similar tastes so it was natural that they would both end up with a Humphrey.

A/N: Honestly the Dan/Blair thing wasn't planned it just came out as I was writing. Hate it? Love it? Bored by it? Tell me in a review, I love feedback.


	6. The Secret's Spilling

A/N: Again Tankygirl this chapter is for you, thank you for the review your words flatter and motivate me so I hope you enjoy this.

The Secret's Spilling

It wasn't so crazy of a relationship if you really thought about it. He loved her and she loved him. He was her anchor, and she was his sails. They complimented each other in a way that just worked. She just wondered why other people couldn't see that.

_Jenny Humphrey has always admired Serena, has always wanted to be her. So it's no surprise when she volunteers to give Serena's stuff back._

_"I don't remember her leaving all this stuff here." Dan says as he starts piling the jewelry and fashion magazines he managed to pry out of Jenny's hands, into a box. Rufus blanches at the comment._

_"Well you know you guys were together for a while, it's natural for her stuff to intermingle with yours." He tries to give fatherly advice, refusing to be a jealous lover in this scenario._

_"I get that. What I don't get is some of this stuff I don't even remember her leaving here." He motions to a scarf the Rufus is pretty sure she left from their last movie date._

_"Well you know girls, always have to have their accessories we just don't tend to notice them." Dan can't help but shrug and agree with that._

_"Why haven't you done this sooner?" The question slips out of Rufus mouth before he can stop it. _

_"Oh, well Blair said she didn't want anyone to be suspicious of anything and she figured me packing up Serena's stuff might be a red flag." Discreetly he looks towards his sister. Rufus sighs, it's true Jenny has been a little unstable lately, she has been doing anything possible to get into the in crowd._

_"Gosh Dan I wouldn't sell out my own brother." She falters a bit because having something over Blair would have been the perfect way to start the school year. But she shakes her head, she was over that. No more headbands for her thank you. "So if you don't want to give the box back to her, I could do it for you." Rufus realizes that perhaps they have become too comfortable in their relationship, Serena won't be able to just leave stuff at his place anymore without arousing suspicion._

_"No, I'm going to do it. I want to make sure there's no hard feelings between us."_

_"Well I heard she's dating some new guy, probably doesn't even care about you anymore." Jenny taunts, she prefers Serena as Dan girlfriend. At least then Dan's girlfriend was nice and tried to be friends with her. Blair is the polar opposite, she isn't hostile with Jenny anymore for Dan's sake but Jenny knows she isn't liked._

_"Yeah that's what Blair said. Which I'm glad for because she looks happy now." Jenny makes a face._

_"Does she?" Rufus tries not to sound too interested, but he can't help the smug satisfaction that courses through him._

_"Yeah, I'm just happy we could all be adults about this."_

_"Adults, yeah." Rufus continues to cut up the vegetables pretending to ignore how much of a difference his definition for adult is this year compared to last year._

_"Of course I don't know I think you made her happier Dan." Both male Humphrey's roll their eyes. Jenny had been dropping not so subtle hints about her wanting Serena back in Dan's life._

_"Sure Jenny," Dan grabs the magazine she's flipping through. "That's Serena's, and no you can't keep just one. Are you sure your not the one who broke up with her?" Dan mocks as he leaves box in hand. While Jenny pouts on the couch._

* * *

_"So Dan gave you your stuff back?" It's past closing time, and they're in the back room taking inventory of a shipment of paintings that have barely arrived._

_"Yeah." She's marking stuff down on a sheet wondering if she missed a painting or if they were shorted. He's not sure if he wants to know, or if he should know, but he has to know._

_"What happened?" He tries to look like he's not going to analyze every word she will say._

_"Oh, nothing just talked and stuff," Stuff? He can't help but wonder. "Huh? Oh that's where it is!" She cries happily after rifling through a crate he barely opened._

_"So you guys friends?"_

_"I suppose, I mean if you date Blair then I come with the package and vice versa. So we kind of have to get along. But despite that we both have moved on a long time ago so right now just feels like we're going through the motions of finishing the break up even though there are no lingering feelings left." He grins and wraps an arm around her, making her drop the clipboard._

_"Rufus what are you doing?"_

_"I'm not going to lie, for a while I was worried you would come to your senses and realize who you want is Dan."_

_"Rufus don't be silly. You're the Humphrey for me. Besides I mean I love you, no one else. Just like you love me and not my mom right?" He couldn't deny that at one point he loved Lily, that even while he was married he was pining after her. But if he's honest with himself he was pining for a girl that didn't' exist anymore. After talking to her on her wedding that much was made clear, yes he would always care for his Lily but he wasn't in love with the women she came to be._

_"Of course not, I love you. Only you." Her hand comes up to wrap around his neck._

_"Well then I guess we've reached a consensus." _

_"Yes we have." She gives him one last bright smile before kissing him._

* * *

_"Come on S, please!" Blair was basically begging as she looked at her friend complete with puppy dog eyes._

_"B…"_

_"You know who my guy is, it's only fair." Which was true plus Serena and Rufus were on solid ground, secret solid ground, but nonetheless they were solid. She suppose it was time to at least tell B, at least she wouldn't be so repulsed by it she had known they were friends all summer and that Serena was still working at the gallery. _

_"Fine." Serena tugged at her robe. It was their monthly sleep over, just the two of them if there was any time to spill her secret it was now._

_"Yay! Spill!" Blair clapped excitedly before settling in._

_"Don't freak out on me please." She loved Rufus and nothing could make her stop seeing him, but the thought of Blair objecting would break her heart._

_"Oh come on S, no one could be worse than that fifty year old stock trader, well preserved but ew jerk alert." Serena giggled as she remembered the stock trader. _

_"True. Ok it's Rufus." She never was one to beat around the bush once she set her mind on telling someone something. _

_"Rufus?" Blair's reaction was unreadable as if she couldn't compute the meaning of Serena's words._

_"As in Humphrey."_

_"Oh My Effin God! You're my mother in law!" Serena blanched at that._

_"Well I guess…" When Serena had told Rufus she was contemplating telling Blair about them he had given her the green light, saying he trusted her judgment. They had discussed what reactions Blair would have, being called mother in law was not an option. Serena giggled, only Blair would come to that conclusion first._

_"Oh my we could have a double wedding, we would finally be related. Although to be fair I did assume this day would come only if the guy one of us was dating had a hot brother, but a hot father works too!"_

_"You're not grossed out, or anything?"_

_"No I mean we can both admit that Dan's dad is hot, and well S you've never been better I mean look at you." It was true drunk, crazy, coked up Serena had not made an appearance since she got with Rufus._

_"Blair thank you, I just was scared you would be grossed out I mean I did date his son and he dated my mom."_

_"Psh you had sex with Nate while he was with me, I had sex with Chuck who tried to almost rape you then became your step-brother then I had sex with Nate. Really compared to some of the other things going on in this city we're not that complicated."_

_"Point taken." They couldn't help but burst into laughter. "God they should make a show out of us."_

_"Well we are fabulous. Now tell me everything from the beginning."_

* * *

_"Dan!" Blair screeched as he slipped his cold hand under her shirt. "Not in the hallway." She was pushed against his door, and subconsciously looked at the door across from them that led to a different loft._

_"Your wish is my command." He unsuccessfully attempted to open the door to the loft three times before getting the key in having it twist._

_"What's got you so flustered Cabbage Patch?" Blair teased as her lips ghosted down his neck. Causing Dan to stumble on opening the door, and Blair to smirk._

_"Waldorf… how will I survive you?" They tumbled through the door laughing, as he held onto her waist in order not to trip over himself._

_"That's not in the plans…" Blair trails off as he sees Dan's face lose color. "What?" She turns around to look at the loft and sees what has him so stricken._

_"Oh my S!" Blair has to stomp over and pull the ear buds out of her friends ears in order for her to stop dancing._

_"Blair?" Serena looks at her friend questioningly, Blair suppresses the urge to roll her eyes and gives a pointed look at Dan. "Dan!" Serena pulls on Rufus' shirt the only thing she is currently wearing._

_"Serena what's wrong?" Rufus comes out from his room in nothing but a towel, apparently barely getting out of the shower._

_"What's going on here?" Dan can barely get the words out, before Rufus and Serena look at each other and he gets it. _

They should have realized that a blissful summer was only the foreshadowing for a tormenting year.

A/N: I know not a lot of Rufus and Serena interaction in this but I feel like it's more realistic with their summer having ended. They would have to interact with others more and I feel like now that they've settled into a relationship where they both realize it's more than a fling that they would be more open into letting others know. Okay my little spiel is over now. So review please, tell me what you think, tell me what you think Dan will say, or if you hate it say that too.


	7. A Family Affair

AN: So I thought I had lost this chapter and would have to start again from scratch, but I found it yay! So here it is hope you enjoy it.

Family Affairs

Serena knew Rufus loved being a dad. She had seen him interact with Dan and Jenny and realized then that despite the fact that he loved her they were a part of him and would always mean more. So she was terrified. Terrified that Dan and Jenny would hate them, would hate him. It didn't matter if he broke up with her because of them, that was ok she could understand that. What worried her was the impact she could have on his relationship with his children. She had hoped that if they ever found out it wouldn't be too much of a nuclear explosion. She should have known that nothing in her life was ever what she hoped for.

"_Dad, you and Serena?" Was apparently all Dan could say as he sat on the couch holding his head in his hands. Blair sat next to him trying to calm him down. While Rufus and Serena both now appropriately dressed sat in two different chairs across from them._

_"Dan…" Rufus began in an appeasing tone, but apparently had nothing to say._

_"How? When did this start?" At least he didn't sound angry. Was all Serena could think. He sounded shocked but there was no anger in his tone… at least not yet. _

_"Well…" Serena rolled her eyes. She loved Rufus but sometimes he could beat around the bush for far too long._

_"This started in the summer Dan. It wasn't planned, I swear we just started to be friends and then our relationship evolved." _

_"Evolved?" Dan didn't seem to understand anything and was questioning everything._

_"Dan it's not that bad." Blair said soothingly as she gripped his hands in hers. Quickly his head snapped towards her._

_"You knew!" Now Dan was angry._

_"Not until recently calm down, I couldn't tell you she told me in confidence. I am her best friend." Blair defended herself quickly._

_"Blair, it involves my dad, you should have told me!"_

_"No Dan that's their personal life, we don't tell them everything that's our personal life. I mean I didn't tell Serena I was with you and she's your ex-girlfriend and my best friend, she should have been mad at us but she wasn't so why are you?"_

_"That's my dad."_

_"This doesn't change that Dan, I'm still your father."_

_"I…"_

_"It's not about Serena is it?" Blair snapped tugging her hand away from him, but Dan wouldn't allow it._

_"No! Not like that." _

_"Then?" Dan was at a loss of words. His father and ex-girlfriend had some sort of ongoing romantic relationship. Astonishingly he was more annoyed at being kept in the dark about it than anything else really. Yes Serena was his ex-girlfriend. But there was a reason she was an ex and he loved Blair. Everything before her seemed like child's play. Insignificant. Plus Blair was right. As always. His father was a man too, who was allowed his own personal life with whomever he choose. If he wanted to be treated like an adult he would have to treat his father the same way._

_"I'm sorry Dan, I'll leave if you want." Serena was getting up from her chair when he finally spoke again._

_"It's okay." The other three occupants in the room quickly looked at him._

_"Really?" Was all Rufus could say._

_"Yes, it's not okay like I'm ready to see you two all over each other and be fine with it, but I get it, these things aren't planned." He looked at Blair who graced him with a smile._

_"No they aren't." Rufus reiterated looking at Serena and reaching out for her hand._

_She grasped his hand entwining their fingers. "So how's Dan?" Serena asked as they began walking around the small children's park located somewhere within Brooklyn. It was nearing night, so with only imitation light from the lampposts illuminating them. They felt safe enough to touch. _

_"Quite well actually."_

_"Really?" Serena had been worried that quickly righteous indignation would overtake Dan who would then despise his father._

_"Yeah, it's like we've moved on from us interacting as if he were ten and have finally managed to shift into parent adult-son mode." _

_"Well that's good right?"_

_"It is, I haven't realized how much he has matured and I realize that they're growing up and need their own space as I do too." Serena smiled and allowed herself to lean on him._

_"What about Jenny?" She had to ask, it had been a constant fear of hers to show up at school and have everyone know about her and Rufus thanks to one snide remark from Jenny._

_"Jenny is a problem." Rufus sighed in agitation. "I want to tell her, feel it's only right to, especially since Dan knows. But… well Dan might have mentioned to me that she is not exactly been stable lately and that her trying to fit in with the other girls makes her act like someone she's not." Serena sighed. She didn't want to say how she truly felt about Jenny. About how she had taken to becoming queen at any cost. _

_"Well I think that she should know and if she decides to tell the whole world about us well then that's her choice and we can live with the consequences." _

_"Really?" Rufus asked as he stopped walking and looked at her._

_"Yes I think it's time Rufus I mean my birthday has come and gone I am officially eighteen a legal adult. Sure I'm still in school but in a few months I'll graduate, so what's stopping us… unless you don't want anyone to know." The thought had plagued her for nights, wondering if he considered her a plaything, as many guys in the past had. Someone whom to have fun with but ultimately leave before the sun would rise. She had only confided this thought to Blair who quickly assured her that she doubted Rufus was that kind of man._

_"It's not that Serena it's just do you really want people finding out because my daughter thinks it can move her up socially at school."_

_"I've been thinking as long as we tell my family first, just tell them and hope for the best, telling Jenny won't really be an issue."_

_"Serena you know I would love for us to be a normal couple, to have you come over for family dinners, wrap my arm around your waist while walking down a street during the day. The question is are you sure you want me, are you sure you want all your friends to know you are with me?" Serena almost wanted to giggle both of them were so reluctant to do anything because they feared that the other wouldn't want anything to do with them anymore. _

_"Rufus Humphrey, I thought you would get it by now, I want you. I love you and of course I want them to know that way next time there's a parent meeting all those lonely housewives will realize your taken." Serena giggled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss._

_"I only have eyes for you."_

_"I know, I love you." _

_They walk back to Rufus' loft, expecting it empty seeing as Dan was staying at Blair's for the night and Jenny had claimed a late evening Choir practice and then a sleepover at Penelope's. _

_So when they went in it was only natural for Serena to lead Rufus to the couch and straddle him. _

_"Serena!" The blondes heads snaps up to meet the eyes of the other blonde, Jenny. Without realizing that it's that movement that allows Jenny to clearly see her fathers face. "Dad!"_

_"Jenny." Serena hurriedly removes herself from Rufus._

_"What are you guys doing?"_

_"Jenny… I guess I have something to tell you." Rufus stands up and walks to his daughter hoping she takes it as well as Dan._

_There had been records thrown, foot stomping, tears and of course slamming doors. Overall Jenny had been angry and had found it as though it had been a personal attack on her, coordinated by Blair. Afterwards she had hightailed it to Hudson to stay with her mother. _

_"I can't believe she thought I would plan that!" Blair laughed as they sat on her with a pile of magazines and a box of chocolates._

_"It was a really odd thought, because she honestly thought that I would seduce her father and enter into the secret relationship just to ruin her life." Serena couldn't laugh though, it had hurt Rufus how angry Jenny had been. How betrayed she had felt. When Jenny had declared she was leaving for Hudson, Serena was sure Rufus was going to drop her hand and tell her it was over. But he didn't he told Jenny that if she needed to it was fine but that he still loved her, had never stopped and would never would even if she left._

_"I could see why, we've infiltrated the Humphrey home and taken the men." Blair popped a chocolate into her mouth before grinning._

_"I guess but still even you wouldn't stoop that low."_

_"It's true I wouldn't but I'm not going to deny myself the satisfaction of a victory even if its not on purpose."_

_"How's Dan taking it."_

_"He's angry at her, says she's acting like the world revolves around her and should realize that her dad is actually a human being as well."_

_"Well that's good."_

_"Yeah… so what's this I hear about a family dinner tomorrow night that is so intimate that even I'm not invited?" _

_"Oh that, Rufus is coming and were going to tell my mom. Jenny knows now it's only fair that my family gets to know. Plus I would invite you, but that would involve Dan coming as well and well I don't want Chuck and Dan's issues to make it the night even more complicated." Blair smirked._

_"Don't worry I have a special night planned for us tomorrow."_

_"I bet you do."_

_"Also I'm very proud of you and I hope everything goes as smoothly as possible."_

_"Thanks so do I."_

Who was she kidding, she knew the night would be anything but a smooth affair. Jenny was just the flood that came before a tsunami

AN: I didn't like the ending much but it does set up the next chapter. Please review tell me what you think, what you hate, what you like.


	8. Blast From The Past

AN: I would just like to thank all of those who reviewed the last chapter, honestly you're encouragement is the reason this chapter was written so quick. So thank you and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Blast From The Past

Sometimes she forgot, forgot that her mother wasn't the other woman at least not legally. That the title of Rufus' ex-wife was Alison's to keep. Serena knows that she is hated by her, abhorred. But it's ok because despite being hated by the women from Rufus' past, which includes her mother, she knows she is Rufus' future.

_Waking up to Serena was an experience. Sometimes it involved waffles that could rival his own, smothered in strawberries and chocolate. Other times he woke up to only seeing blonde hair and smelling her, making him tug her closer and breathe in deeper. Or there were those times like this morning that was all touch. Her tongue trailing down his chest, skin against skin, scratches down his back, fistfuls of blonde locks that feel like silk. He's sure she'll be the death of him, and he's more than happy to die with a smile on his face._

_ "Remember were just coming clean. Everything, were going to tell them everything." Serena gripped his hand tighter._

_ "Serena it's going to be fine." She gave him an incredulous look, how was he so calm? They were in the elevator heading to her apartment, and she was deciding whether or not to push the stop button and get off before it was too late. While Rufus just held her hand and waited to reach the floor. As if he wasn't even the tiniest bit nervous._

_ "What's wrong with you?" She tried to dig it out of him before it was too late and they stepped into the den of the lions. _

_ "What are you talking about?"_

_ "All week you've been hounding me, worrying about tonight, of what should and shouldn't be admitted. You even wanted to call the whole thing off, and now all of a sudden everything's going to be fine?"_

_ "Were on the elevator, you already said you were bringing a guest, no one but those closest to us know anything. You might have kept it a secret from your mom but at least you're coming clean to her before we go public. She can either be fine with it or hate me, whatever but no matter what I'm still going to the loft and you're coming with me at the end of the night, right?" Serena couldn't help but smile, she had wondered why he had calmed down as soon as she said they should make pancakes for breakfast tomorrow morning._

_ "Right."_

_ "Then what's there to worry about, we're still going to have each other no matter what." _

_ "You're right." With that she squeezed his hand one more time before the elevator chimed and the doors open._

_ "You have got to be kidding me." Chuck laughed bitterly as he saw them enter noticing their linked hands. He was the only one in the living room despite the fact that the table was all set up in the dining area._

_ "Shut up Chuck, where's my mother?" Serena glared at him, noticing the glass of scotch he was nursing and the half empty bottle that was on the coffee table._

_ "Oh my dear stepmother is upstairs she'll be down in a second. Am I right to assume that this" he motion towards their hands. "Will come as a shock?" He couldn't suppress a sardonic grin._

_ "Don't meddle in something that's none of you're concern." Before Serena could continue another blonde interrupted her._

_ "Serena… Rufus?" Looking past the living area she saw Eric looking confused and wary._

_ "Eric, oh good I was hoping to catch you away from mom." She went to his side and hugged him before ushering him towards Rufus. _

_ "Mr. Humphrey?" Eric questioned as he shook Rufus' hands._

_ "No! Well yes… but I mean Eric this is Rufus my… boyfriend." The word felt odd on her lips. They had discussed earlier what their official title would be, but boyfriend still felt a little insignificant for what Rufus was to her. She had, had boyfriends, boys who liked to touch her, who she had liked to touch, who took her to movies and balls, who she danced with all night and woke up to, but tried to escape before they awoke. But Rufus meant more than any of those other guys did. Rufus was waking up to coffee on the bedside table, hearing him compose a song on his guitar while she read a magazine, watching movies from the 80's and then going grocery shopping so he could maker her dinner. Rufus was home._

_ "Boyfriend?" She could see Eric's face morph from confusion to shock, he had known there was a new man in her life. One who made her happier than ever, one who didn't return her home coked up at three in the morning, he just never thought it would be Dan's dad._

_ "Yep." Though she spoke to Eric her eyes were on Rufus and that huge smile was only for Rufus. That action made him see that it didn't matter who was her sister's boyfriend as long as she reacted like that, as long as she was happy._

_ "Well then that's nice to know…" Before Eric could finish his sentence Lilly enters the room with a flourish following Bart Bass._

_ "Rufus?" Lily screeches before seeing her husband's look and attempting a more somber tone. "What are you doing here?" Serena moves quickly to his side._

_ "Hi Lily, I'm Serena's guest." He notice's Bart Bass' glare and hopes this won't result in WWIII._

_ "Serena? I thought you were bringing you're new boyfriend?"_

_ "I did mom." With that she links hands with Rufus, puts a smile on, and hopes for the best._

_ "What!" Quickly Lily moves from the base of the stairs and stands near them. "Serena please tell me that I'm completely wrong in what I am thinking right now."_

_ "Well if you think that Rufus is my new boyfriend… then sorry mom but that's the truth."_

_ "You have got to be kidding me!" Serena can see the fury in her mothers eyes and though it's something she's seen many times before the intensity of her anger is disturbing._

_ "No I'm not."_

_ "Lily, Serena and I…"_

_ "Serena and you, God Rufus do you even hear yourself you're messing around with my seventeen year old daughter!"_

_ "Soon to be eighteen mother… and this isn't us just messing around as you so politely put it. I love him and he loves me and were happy, isn't that all that should matter?"_

_ "Serena if he was anyone but Rufus, My Rufus, Dan's father, your ex boyfriends father I might agree with you but you have to admit that this is just wrong." Serena couldn't believe her ears, she had wanted to avoid this reaction. Didn't want her mother to view her like a women dating an ex lover, but a daughter introducing her to the man she loved, but obviously her mother wasn't capable of that._

_ "He's not yours mother,"_

_ "Oh I'm sorry you're Rufus then." The sarcasm that dripped from her mother's voice is the last straw._

_ "I'm sorry did you forget about you're husband standing right behind you? Or was it that you just never could get over the past, you're married you made you're choice I know you could have run off with Rufus but you didn't don't be angry because someone else can be happy with him." She saw her mother raise her hand and prepared for the slap… that never came. Rufus had grabbed her wrist before her hand meet Serena's cheek._

_ "Lily, stop this is your daughter."_

_ "Exactly my daughter! You're with my daughter, you've been with my daughter, you love my daughter! Why can't you see that this is wrong, that this is all wrong." Lily twisted her arm away but held his gaze._

_ "Why?" He knew this was more about Lily than Serena. _

_ "Because you love me." _

_ "No Lily I loved you, what we had doesn't exist anymore. I'm not going to lie and say that I didn't love you, that Serena wasn't with Dan, but that's all in the past, everything that is important now is that we love each other and I'm going to be with Serena for as long as she'll want me." He looked towards Serena and saw the love he always did, and knew that it was all worth it, she was worth everything. _

_ "How can you say that Rufus?"_

_ "Because it's true." With that he took Serena's hand and led her out of the pent house._

_ "So that was… interesting." Serena wasn't quite sure what to say yet, she was happy he had stood up to her mother, had been unafraid to confront the past and move beyond it._

_ "Very." Rufus answered, he hoped this didn't drive Serena away, didn't make her think he still loved her mother, because that was completely untrue._

_ "Hungry?"_

_ "Yeah." He couldn't help the relief that resounded in his tone, she way staying._

_ "Chinese food?"_

_ "Sounds great." With that they walked away from the tornado that was Mrs. Bass._

_ "Jenny arrived today." Rufus' tone was odd, she had expected him to sound excited at the return of Jenny but something seemed wrong._

_ "I know, how was she?" Serena readjusted her phone as she attempted to pay attention and look for a new dress, Blair was supposed to be helping her but she had gotten lost in the jewelry isle._

_ "She was good, happy even but…" She saw a gold mini dress she would have to pair with tights but stopped mid reach when he didn't finish his sentence._

_ "But what?"_

_ "Alison came with her."_

_ "Oh." Forgetting about the dress she focused completely on the conversation._

_ "Yeah." She wasn't sure what to say next but thankfully he continued speaking. "Can you come for dinner, Blair's going to be here too, I really want to you to be here. Alison wants to meet you."_

_ "Of course, I'll come."_

_ "Great I'm cooking."_

_ "As always."_

_ "Bye, love you."_

_ "Love you too." She hung up but was still unsure what to do next._

_ "S!" Turning she saw her best friend walk quickly towards her. "I just heard, your going to dinner right? Of course you are why am I even asking, we have to buy you something fabulous if you have to meet the ex wife you must look gorgeous doing it."_

_ "B I'm not sure if that's…" Alison was the ex wife. Wife. She couldn't get that word out of her head. Rufus had at one point wanted an eternity with this women. _

_ "Of course it is, she wants to meet you only to push you away why do you think she came with Jenny. But that's not going to happen, now come on we have a very important dinner to attend and nothing to wear." Serena agreed if only to ignore these horrible thoughts running through her head._

_ "S don't bite your nails." Serena groaned as Blair swatted her hand away from her mouth. "Now deep breath and…" With that they both took a deep breath and then Serena used her set of keys to open the door of the loft._

_ "Blair, Serena." Dan greeted immediately, rushing towards his girlfriend for a kiss. While Serena walked towards the kitchen area noticing a cutting board with half a tomato, she wondered where Rufus had gone to, he hated not completely cutting up any fruit or vegetable._

_ "Oh yeah, guess Dad got a little busy." Jenny said as she came out of her room smirking._

_ "Jenny." Serena smiled, attempting to at least be civil towards her._

_ "Serena, Blair." Jenny greeted as she sat on a stool near Serena while Dan and Blair walked over to the kitchen area._

_ "Little J." Blair smirked as she sat next to Jenny, while Dan played with her hair._

_ "Sorry Serena my dad is kind of dealing with an issue."_

_ "Him and mom are in his room." Jenny added. That hurt. Serena hadn't moved in, but enough of her stuff was intermingling with Rufus' that she felt it was more of their room than just his room._

_ "No they're not, they're in your room." Jenny frowned as Dan glared at her._

_ "Oh well that's… they probably just have to talk about…"_

_ "Serena!" Rufus came out of Jenny's room with a fuming Alison in tow._

_ "Hi." He immediately came over to her and greeted her with a kiss._

_ "Alison this is Serena." Serena turned to see Alison grimacing._

_ "Yes we met, thanksgiving remember you were the one canoodling with my son right?"_

_ "Alison." Rufus began in a warning tone._

_ "Yes well now I'm the one canoodling with Dan, Blair Waldorf nice to meet you." Blair interrupted before Serena could say anything._

_ "Alison __**Humphrey**__." She added the Humphrey as though it made her queen of the loft._

_ "Serena's best friend." When Alison gave her an odd look, she added. "Oh I'm sorry I thought we were just spewing titles out now." Despite the cheery grin plastered on her face everyone could see the dislike pouring off of Blair._

_ "B…" Serena started but Blair quickly cut her off._

_ "I'll play nice." _

_ "As I was going to say, yes we have met before but it's nice to see you again."_

_ "Yes, might I say you look remarkably like Lilly did when she was your age."_

_ "I've been told."_

_ "Rufus I didn't realize you were just trying to relive old times had I known it was just a fling, I wouldn't have bothered coming all the way here." She looked at Serena as if she were scum._

_ "Mom!"_

_ "Dan, honestly you can't tell me this is alright with you."_

_ "It is but even if it wasn't I'm not going to get in the way of his happiness."_

_ "Dan, do you really want your ex girlfriend to be our new stepmother?" Jenny spoke up frustrated for how long this was actually taking, she was hoping Serena wouldn't have even shown up knowing their mother was in town._

_ "Jenny stop being such a brat, you want to act like an adult than realize you're no longer a child and that our dad has a right to move on with his life."_

_ "Easy for you to say the evil witch of the east side, has you confused. They can't just come in here and take over Brooklyn." With that she stomped away into her room._

_ "Happy Rufus, you're little fling is causing our daughter…" Serena sighed in frustration why couldn't the blow ups ever happen after the food, and not before?_

_ "Look Alison, I'm not a fling, and yes I do look like my mother but this isn't some sick relationship where Rufus is trying to relive glory days. Were together and moving forward and frankly I don't want fight with you because I get it your part of Rufus' past, you're the mother of his children, I respect that. But that doesn't give you the right to talk to me or about me as if I am a child. This isn't something that we just thought would be fun, were committed to each other and we both need you to respect that." At first she was worried she had overstep her boundaries but when Rufus placed a comforting hand on her lower back, she relaxed._

_ "She's right and if you can't do that then I'm sorry but your not welcomed here. See the children as much as you want I wouldn't ever try to keep them from you, but if you want to be in my house then you respect me and anybody else who is welcomed here." With that Alison quickly made her way out._

_ "Why is it every time we plan a family dinner, we never eat?" Serena asked as she buried her face into his neck._

_ "Maybe because the only times we tried to have family dinners is when we're going to tell them about us." He rubbed her back hoping to calm her down, currently they were lying in his bed or their bed as he had come to think of it. _

_ "Mmm. True. Do you ever find it odd that no one besides Dan has asked how long we've been together?"_

_ "Not really I feel like everyone else is just judging us not because of what we feel towards each other but because they feel we're directly trying to hurt them by being together."_

_ "I swear it's annoying its not about them, it's about us."_

_ "Well then who cares what they think or say."_

_ "I don't." Serena looked into his eyes, she hopes it's clear to him that though before she might have worried about everyone else's opinions, but not anymore. Especially not about their relationship. _

_ "Neither do I." She smiles and realizes that despite their family issues everything was perfect because they still had each other._

So Alison was his ex wife, that was ok. She could survive that. Because when Rufus looked at her she felt like his world, and that was more than she had ever wished to get. So her mother and Alison could still hate her, and Alison could live in Hudson, while her mother enjoyed the upper east side, Serena was more the happy to be in Brooklyn.

AN: I'm not too sure of the characterization of Lily in this chapter I'm worried I made her react too harshly but I feel as if despite her many marriages that she held onto the idea of Rufus as being devoted to her despite that she believed they couldn't be together. So seeing him with her daughter would maybe cause her to be more unbalanced than usual, well that's what I think anyways. Review and tell me what you think.


	9. Family Reunion

AN: I would just like to thank all of you who reviewed, and/or favorited this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Family Reunion

It was so easy to forget. Forget that at one point of her life Chuck and Nate were the only two boys that Blair and she needed. That the four of them were so close that despite any lie and betrayal they knew at the end everything would be ok, because they had each other. Now there were other men in their life, men that were the ones they wanted forever with. Serena just wasn't sure if there could be room for Nate and Chuck to coexist too.

_ "B!" Serena shouted as she shoved her friend lightly but with enough force to push her into the women's lavatory._

_ "What?"_

_ "I just heard."_

_ "Serena come on, I'm going to be late for European History."_

_ "No you can't leave until you tell me the truth, were you just talking to Chuck."_

_ "Oh that, yes." Blair said forgetting about being on time for class and deciding to fix her make up._

_ "Are you serious I thought you two could barely stand each other?"_

_ "Well while that was true, I also felt it was time to end this petty feud."_

_ "Petty? I wouldn't call it that I mean you guys broke each others hearts."_

_ "True, but if you haven't noticed I'm now happy with Dan and Chuck has merrily continued his whoring ways. I understand that Dan and Chuck will always dislike one another, but honestly S, I'm sick of not being able to talk to my best friends. All of my best friends. Even though I was with Nate before, I was able to get over what you two did and still love you both as friends, so I thought it was time Chuck and I did the same."_

_ "I'm sorry did I just hear you correctly. You, the ice queen, the one who could hold a grudge from kindergarten, are forgiving Chuck for what he did just some months ago."_

_ "First of all Kristen chopped off the ends of my ribbon, she deserves to be hated even if it happened in elementary school. Second of all I'm over Chuck which means anything he did to me doesn't hurt anymore so yes he can be forgiven. Now you."_

_ "Me?"_

_ "Yes you, you have to fix things with the boys too."_

_ "Fix what? I thought the only issue was between you and Chuck."_

_ "Don't play coy, we both know that Nate's estrangement isn't due to Chuck and me but because of you Serena. Even if you don't want to admit it, he thought you two had a chance and then when he realized that you were with someone new, but hadn't told him he was a bit miffed. Plus now that everyone knows about you and Rufus thanks to Little J's big mouth and Gossip Girl he's a bit weirded out. He won't even accept my calls half the time."_

_ "Blair, I'm happy, Rufus is enough…"_

_ "I'm not saying he isn't and I'm also not saying that Dan doesn't mean the world to me, but Serena just because were moving forward doesn't mean that we have to forget about our pasts. Despite how tumultuous these past two years have been between the four of us, you can't forget that these are the people we grew up with, this is our family." Serena couldn't lie and say she didn't miss them, Chuck and Nate were first and foremost their boys, not their love interests. The ones who protected them, partied with them, ruled the school with them, and supplemented their absent families._

_ "You're right B."_

_ "As always." Blair smirked before linking arms with Serena and heading off to class._

_ "You wanted to talk?" Nate was gorgeous. There was no doubt about that. But as Serena stood with him in the courtyard that united their two schools, all she could see was the little boy from third grade who pushed Michael Levin into the mud, after Michael had teased her about her height._

_ "Yeah I did, look I know that things have been weird between us mostly because of my relationship with Rufus, I know that it's my fault. I didn't want to cause more of a strain between us but I also didn't know how to get closer to you, to get back to how we were when I knew you still had feelings for me. The non-friendly kind." She bit her lip anxiously she knew it was a gamble talking about his feelings, didn't want to hurt his pride, Nate was a sentimental guy but he was still a guy._

_ "The thing was Serena had you just come to me and talked about it, told me straight out that it wasn't a possibility instead of just ignoring me, I would have been fine with it." Of course he would have, Nate was a gentlemen he wouldn't have pushed her, wouldn't have ended their friendship, but Serena wasn't the type of girl who usually liked to deal with the messes she made._

_ "I know, and I'm sorry I hurt you by just ignoring you, I really missed you Nate. I mean you're Nate, Natey, the other blonde in this foursome, you're one of my best friends can you please forgive me?" He looks down at his shoes and for a second she anticipates rejection. Knows she would deserve it but also knows that it would break her. But then his blue eyes are on hers and there's a smile gracing his face and she knows that everything is going to be fine._

_ "Of course I do, you're Serena I love you, as a friend, and nothing is ever going to change that." She smiles radiantly and then hugs him tightly._

_ "So are we to assume reconciliation has been accomplished?" Chuck asks as he and Blair walk up to them, joining them in the corner table were no one else would dare to sit._

_ "You may." Serena answers smiling, pulling Nate so that they sit on two of seats while Blair and Chuck sit on the remaining two._

_ "Doesn't this feel so much better."_

_ "Waldorf were not going to sing and hold hands."_

_ "Bass, don't ruin the moment." They all smile at each other content to be together again._

_ "What's that?" Rufus asks Dan who is staring intently at a screen with a frown on his face._

_ "Blair and Serena with Chuck and Nate." He replies grimly, he understands that Chuck and Nate mean a lot to her but it doesn't mean he likes it. _

_ "Oh yeah I heard they reconciled, I didn't know they were that close." Rufus takes a good look at the screen displaying all four, the girls are sitting on top of the table while the guys are leaning on the nearby wall. They're all laughing, scrolling down there are many pictures depicting the get together which seemed to have lasted at least an hour. Serena placing her hand on Nate's arm, Chuck draping his arm across her shoulders. Blair pink with laughter as she holds onto Nate, then playfully pulling Chuck's hair. It's all there in the pictures._

_ "They seem happy." It's the only thing Rufus can say._

_ "They do."_

_ "When did this take place and who actually took all these pictures."_

_ "After school, Blair said they were going to hang out for a while in the courtyard and to just head home without her. The pictures are on Gossip Girl, I think someone just stood there the entire time out of their sight and took picture after picture." There's a bit of jealousy that courses through him at seeing Serena interact so physically with the boys. Yet there's a bit of happiness as well, Serena looks so happy and carefree and he can't resent her for that. She's talked about them before always with a frown, always with fondness towards the past and regret for the present, so he knows how much it means to her to be back with them._

_ "You know Lily might be her mom but these guys are the ones she truly loves and cares about."_

_ "I know."_

_ "I'm glad they're back together… oddly enough. I don't care that it's Chuck and Nate I'm happy she's happy."_

_ "I know what you mean son."_

She realizes now that she can love Rufus, without giving up her other two boys. That true love isn't about jealousy, and possession, it's about loving someone but understanding that there are other kinds of love that exists and can coexist within someone's heart.

A/N: Sorry for the lack of Serena/Rufus in this chapter but I really liked the idea of the non judging breakfast club getting back together. :) Please Review and tell me what you think.


	10. Helping the Lost

A/N: Uploading on this site has never been such a hassle, so I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

**Helping the Lost**

Serena was willing to stand by him through the bad and good, that much she was sure of when she knew she wanted the world to know about them. But when Scott Ronson entered their lives she can admit that it shook their foundation.

_"So how was you're winter break?" Serena asks Blair as they make their way through Bloomingdales._

_"Father loved Dan, invited him to the trip to the vineyard we had planned for this summer."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yep apparently despite Humphrey's lack of style he can still be a gay mans best friend." Both girls laughed enjoying being in each others presence again. "What about yours?"_

_"Well you can only expect my grandmother to now really hate Rufus, apparently he has corrupted not only his daughter but now his granddaughter which is unacceptable. We left her house about a week after we got there and then headed towards Spain for a week." Both girls smiled at each other before they set out to claim back the store they had abandoned a month ago._

_"I'm sorry can you help me I think I'm lost." Serena turns around in the chair she was sitting at while her coffee was ready. She had gone for a coffee run before heading to Rufus' apartment, where he had holed himself up for the past week while he attempted to write a song that an up an coming band had asked of him. She turned to face a boy about her age if not older sitting at the next table._

_"Sure, new to Brooklyn?"_

_"Yeah actually just came up from Boston, my names Scott Peterson."_

_"Serena Van Der Woodsen. For school?"_

_"Uh, actually I have… relatives here sort of. Anyways I was wondering if you knew where the closest subway station is?"_

_"Oh yeah, I can actually just show you I know how easy it must be to get lost here, plus it's on my way." Quickly she picked up her order before heading out the door with him. There was something odd about this guy, it was as if she knew him from somewhere though she was absolutely sure she had never met him. As the talked on the way to the substation they talked about random things, though she couldn't help but notice his nonchalant way of redirecting the conversation to focus solely on her._

_"So it was nice meeting you, Serena."_

_"Likewise." She smiled and with departure of shaking hands she headed back to the loft._

_Gossip girl just never had much else to do but follow Serena and Blair around so it wasn't very surprising when pictures of her and Scott were seen only ten minutes after she had entered the loft._

_"Really?" She sighed exasperated._

_"What's wrong." Rufus asked as he checked on the sauce currently on the stove._

_"Oh you know the usual apparently I'm cheating on you with a guy I met like five minutes ago."_

_"Really, well he must have a lot of charisma five minutes isn't much to win your affections, I should know." Serena laughed as she flit around the counter and showed him the picture._

_"New guy in town needed help finding the subway." Taking the opportunity to wind herself around him, she laughed in his ear as his other hand immediately latched onto her hip._

_"Hmmm, well I'm very heartbroken Serena." Rufus jokingly pouted, as he placed her phone down next to the stove and allowed her to push him closer to the sink._

_"Well I'm sure I can mend it." She kissed him then, long and passionate and could feel her insides yearn for more. She allowed him to switch positions so that she could sit on the counter freeing her to wrap her legs around him. Her hand began to roam to the buttons on his shirt but before she could start unbuttoning any her phone rang, signaling Blair's new text message for her._

_"Ugh they're downstairs." Serena pouted, she loved the fact that they could all sit and have a family meal together but sometimes she just wished she could lock Rufus in a room to herself._

_"Don't worry Dan's spending the night at Blair's." She smiled before unwinding her legs and slipping off the counter, to check her phone._

_Blair: Were coming up, fair warning ;)_

_Sure Dan was happy for them and was more than willing to be part of this dysfunctional family the four of them had going on. But nobody liked seeing their parents in full out make out session, no matter who it was with, so Serena was very cautious in avoiding making Dan uncomfortable._

_"Close call, the sauce almost burned."_

_"So would have been worth it." Serena lightly trailed her fingers down his back before taking the plates out of the cupboard and heading to set the table._

_"We got wine and fresh garlic bread." Dan entered with grocery bags while Blair entered with a vase of flowers._

_"Don't forget the centerpiece too, no dinner would be complete without."_

_"Of course not, I was worried this spaghetti would only taste half as good with out a centerpiece." Rufus joked as Blair fussed over the settings, while rolling her eyes good naturedly._

_"Hope we came just on time and didn't interrupt anything." Blair said nonchalantly as soon as the guys were in a deep discussion about the food._

_"Of course not." Blair could only giggle as Serena faked innocence and with a smile both girls opened the wine and began to pour glasses._

_The second time she sees him she's sitting at the information desk in the Gallery, reviewing the latest design ideas of a new artist planning to do an opening there._

_"Serena?" She's startled out of planning how many people she should expect to plan to come to the showing, as she looks up she's more than a little surprised._

_"Scott?"_

_"Hey, you work here?" He seems genuinely surprised and she can't help but wonder if he's lost again._

_"Um, intern, but what are you doing here?"_

_"Oh I'm looking for the owner… Rufus Humphrey?" She notices small signs of anxiousness: the way he doesn't know what to do with his hands, how he seems to run his hands through his hair._

_"He's in the stock room, but I can get him anything specific you need him for?"_

_"Just wanted to talk, I met his son Dan the other day and I can't believe it's the same Rufus Humphrey from Lincoln Hawk." A nervous fan? It would explain his mannerism._

_"Lincoln Hawk?" Sure she had met fans of Rufus before but usually they were people around his age or a bit older never someone so young before. "Parents were fans?" After his enthusiastic nod, she just smiled and went to the back room._

_"Hey everything ok." Rufus asked as she reached him._

_"Oh yeah, just do you remember that guy from the gossip girl blast like from a week ago, well he's here asking to see you says he's a big fan of Lincoln Hawk and that he's met Dan." She should have been more skeptical at first but it was a small social circle she strived in and at the time knowing Dan didn't make the warning signs flash inside her head._

_"A fan really, well I shouldn't keep him waiting." With what she could only call a boyish smile Rufus hurried out the backroom with only a peck on her cheek. She smiled after him, happy to see him so happy. But there was something a bit off, shrugging it off she continued the work Rufus left abandoned._

She should have been more wary, listened to the slight discomfort inside of her, but really what would she have done? She never would have imagine just who Scott was in Rufus' past nor what he would become in their future.

A/N: I'm very unsure mostly about my writing style for this chapter it's been so long that I'm not sure if it flows smoothly with the other chapters? Please review I'd love to hear your opinion, how do you guys feel about introducing Scott? I'm not really sure if I'm going to keep his storyline at all similar to what happened on the show so your reviews will probably help me decide where that will end. Hope you guys enjoyed!


	11. Revelations

_A/N: Sorry for the long wait hope you guys enjoy the chapter, please review!_

**Revelations**

She had thought it was odd when Scott Rosson had seamlessly woven himself into all their lives especially Rufus' but nothing could have prepare her for how he would affect their lives.

_ "Coffee at six? Great meet you there." It's the last words Dan utters before hanging up his cell phone as he reaches them on the met steps. He kisses Blair lightly before arranging himself on the step beside her._

_ "Scott?" Blair asks simply as she takes a bite of her salad, smiling when Dan steals one of her croutons before answering. _

_ "Yeah, he wants to meet up later."_

_ "He seems to get along great with you and Rufus." Serena states, it's been weeks since Scott came into their life and he seemed to get closer everyday._

_ "Yeah who know my Dad had actual fans." It was a bit odd but since it made Rufus so happy having someone so enthusiastic about his music that Serena really had nothing to complain about._

_ "Hey maybe Scott just has good taste?" It comes out as a question more than anything else. Sure Serena loves Rufus' music but in all honesty his band was never that big and the few songs they did have really couldn't warrant the kind of fan Scott portrayed himself to be._

_ "Uh maybe?" Blair tries to help but her face betrays her._

_ "Hey you know he had fans…. I think." Dan words float between them uncomfortably. The three silently decide to leave it at that because really Scott Rosson just made no sense._

* * *

_ "Hey Serena" She looks up from the computer into Scott's smiling face and almost sighs._

_ "Scott! Did Rufus know you were coming?" She was sure if he had known he wouldn't have left the gallery or at least left a note for the boy._

_ "Actually I just though I would drop by."_

_ "Oh well he's not here at the moment he probably won't come in at all today."_

_ "Oh sorry to disrupt then." _

_ "No it's fine, Rufus loves it when you come by,"_

_ "Does he?" His whole demeanor brightens and it worries her how attached he's become to Rufus._

_ "You are a fan." She just wants to remind him how he fits in all of this._

_ "Right fan." He seemed dejected at that._

_ "I'm sure your number one thought."_

_ "Yeah."_

_ "Hey I know this isn't any of my business but how is your mom cool with you and Rufus." She's taken aback at the quick change of conversation._

_ "My mom… wow that really isn't your business."_

_ "I know I'm sorry it's just I get it you know."_

_ "Get what?"_

_ "There's this woman back in she's older but I don't know she's the one." She start's feeling guilty because maybe Scott's life isn't just about Rufus and them and she never thought of that._

_ "Let me guess parents aren't too happy."_

_ "Let's just say they cut me off for a while, but I think everything will work out I hope so at least. You and Rufus are great together, I was just wondering if your mom was supportive."_

_ "No she isn't to the point where I'm living with Blair at the moment but I don't you can compare the two."_

_ "Why?"_

_ "It's not a secret my mom used to date Rufus long time ago, as in I wasn't born yet."_

_ "Heavy, I thought I had it rough."_

_ "Yeah well there' s always worse." She laughs mostly cause she hopes it true._

* * *

_ "So Scott's nice." She's trying to play it cool and decides to bring it up while he's busy reading in bed and she's putting on moisturizer._

_ "Yeah he's a really good guy." He comments offhandedly. _

_ "He comes by a lot."_

_ "Does it bother you?" Finally he puts his book down to look at her._

_ "No, yes, I mean I don't know." She had given this a lot of thought she didn't want to cause any problems between her and Rufus but there was just something not right about Scott and she couldn't let it go._

_ "What's wrong?" She turns to face him and decides to just get it all out there._

_ "I saw Scott talking to Vanessa the other day."_

_ "Okay?"_

_ "The other day I was at the Gallery while you were gone Scott came by looking for you when he realized you weren't there we got into this weird conversation about my mom but it was because he told me some story about him and an older women being together and his parents not being ok with it. He told me she was the one and now I feel like he was just using that story to get me to talk about my mom. I don't Rufus he's up to something I think."_

_ "Like what?"_

_ "I don't know but I do know it obviously revolves around you and my mom."_

_ "I believe you I do, but I don't know what you want me to do about it."_

_ "Nothing, I just want you to be cautious around him."_

_ "I can do that."_

_ "Ok good." She lets him go back to her book and she busies herself with combing her hair, hoping her fears are unfounded._

* * *

_ "Scott's psycho." Blair declared quickly the moment she sat down on the Met steps._

_ "Blair!" Dan gave her an accusatory look as he sat next to her, which she easily ignored._

_ "Dan hush. Yesterday while we were busy… anyways Dan gets a phone call from him saying it's an emergency so naturally knight in shining armor over here leaves me, unattended and goes to help out. Turns out he just wanted info on where your mom lives."_

_ "My mom!" Serena was surprised and yet not she knew there was something odd about him._

_ "Exactly thankfully Dan didn't give him any information but he flipped out saying Dan wasn't 'cooperating' , really he needs to be handled." Quickly takes out her phone and begins texting._

_ "Blair who are you getting involved?" Dan asks exasperated as if he's been fighting with her on this for a while._

_ "We agreed I wouldn't do anything until I told Serena which I just did, so now Chuck is going to have to be useful."_

_ "Chuck?" Even Serena could hear the jealousy that came with the name._

_ "We all know he has the best P.I. team and we always want the best." Blair told him easily._

_ "Serena can you explain to her how this is insane." _

_ "Dan…" She's about to say he's right but one look from Blair and her true feelings come out. "Blair's right we need to know who exactly this guy is and more importantly what he's up to." _

_ "Always am, besides haven't you noticed all the recent plaid he's been wearing he's trying too hard to be a Humphrey for my taste." It's this comment that apparently snaps Dan into actually thinking about all the recent events._

_ "Ok I mean I guess it couldn't hurt to check the facts."_

_ "That's all I want to do."_

* * *

_ "Blair come on tell me!" Serena pleaded as they sat in the Humphrey loft alone, after Dan decided it was best Blair do this alone._

_ "Ok it's just…" Once again she absently plays with the manila folder in her hand. "I don't know how." Serena starts to panic because with all they have been through what could leave Blair so speechless._

_ "Just tell me, I need to know." She grips Blair's hands because she just needs to get this over with, she rather rip the band-aid off then take her time with it drawing out the pain. _

_ "Scott's… he's Rufus' son." _

_ "What." It's not what she expected but it's not the worse thing either, they could get through this, Serena supported Rufus in being a father this didn't have to change a thing._

_ "And Lily is his mom." Serena's sure she must have heard wrong because this was just too much. "I'm so sorry S." She feels Blair's arms envelope her and she knows it's true, knows that she has a half-brother out there and that she's sleeping with his dad. _

So the truth was out, Lily and Rufus had a love child and he had come back to claim a family that didn't exist. It was one of the hardest trials they had to endure, and though hearing it was bad enough actually discussing it with Rufus and her mother was really the tipping point.

A/N: So what do you think? I'm not sure what will happen to Scott yet and though he's seen a little like a crazy fan/stalker here I plan to explain his actions more later so don't hate him too much please.


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